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Article from the Suburban News, July 2006 about our peformance of "Music Man"

A jovial group of thespians stand in a circle on the stage at Worthington Kilbourne High School, teasing each other about lines and rehearsals.

You would never know by their attitudes that the air conditioner was broken on one of hottest days of the year, the lights were shorting out and that they've spent the last two months rehearsing at a shelterhouse at Selby Park.

And why all the sweat, laughter and tears? It's all in the name of theater.

The Worthington Community Theatre will present The Music Man, the organization's only production this year, starting Friday.

"It's probably the best American musical of all time," said director Brent Alan Burington. "From the point of view it is set in America, about Americans and it is written by an American.

"It's about a con man who comes to a small town in Iowa with the specific intention of conning them out of a lot of money by making an all-boy band," Burington said. "But he ends up liking the town and falling in love and ends up staying and becoming a part of the community."

Some of the more notable songs from the production are Till There Was You, 76 Trombones, Trouble and Lida Rose.

"If anyone knows barbershop music, they'll know Lida Rose," Burington said. "It's a staple with barbershop groups.

"It's a family show," Burington said. "It's fun to watch and doesn't require a whole lot of thought, which is nice sometimes. The writer of the musical said it best: It's perfect for tired businessmen."

The 66-member cast, crew and orchestra range in age from 6 to "undisclosed," and the experience level of the cast members is just as broad as their ages.

"Some of these people have been in upwards of 30 or 40 shows," Burington said. "Others are making their debut."

Burington was hired as director in May and held auditions at the beginning of June.

"I wanted to get them started as quickly as possible because we had that July Fourth holiday in there when I knew I wouldn't get a lot of work out of them," he said.

Charity Zimmerman, who plays Maud Dunlap, said she was thrilled when she was assigned her part in June.

"The thing I like about her character is I got to create her on my own," Zimmerman said. "I got to pick her age, her mannerisms, what was her past and in general what her life is like. I got to create her and that's a lot of fun."

Although the group can't wait to strut its stuff on stage, members of the Worthington community are a little nervous.

"We have to make a profit of $1,500 or we will have to go dark next year," said Marilynn Garner, president of the theater. "After 36 years of performances, that makes me very sad."

The group has been struggling not only financially, but to find a permanent space to call home. Typically, it rents auditorium space from the Worthington City School District.

"The fees to rent the space have doubled," Garner said. "We have a very serious problem. I wish we could say we are doing better."

The show will run at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Additional performances are slated for 8 p.m. July 28 and 29 and 2 p.m. July 30. All performances will be held at Worthington Kilbourne High School, 1499 Hard Road.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the door 30 minutes before showtime.

For more information about Worthington Community Theatre, call Garner at 614-527-4655.

©Copyright 2007, Worthington Community Theatre